The UN will vote on a resolution calling for a business boycott of West Bank settlements later this week. However, in light of the current diplomatic strike in Israel, it looks like no Israeli representatives will be at the forum to defend their position.

The United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva is scheduled to
vote on five resolutions concerning Israel this week. One of
these resolutions stipulates a boycott on Israeli businesses
“to ensure that their activities do not have an adverse
impact on the human rights of the Palestinian people.”

It calls on all nations to respect basic human rights “by
taking all necessary steps — including by terminating their
business interests in the settlements.”

The resolution in question was drawn up by Arab nations and
members of the Palestinian Authority and reportedly closely
resembles the wording of recent boycott, divestment and sanction
campaigns. Although the resolution is not binding, it has the
Israeli Prime Minister very concerned, an unnamed Israeli
official told Haaretz.

At present, the members of Israel’s Foreign Ministry are engaged
in an indefinite strike over a dispute about
working conditions and salaries. As a result, Israel will have no
representative in Geneva this week to fight its corner and soften
the wording in the resolution.

In addition to the resolutions, a report by the UN Human Rights
Council’s Special Rapporteur on Palestine, Richard Falk, will be
delivered. The document will ask the International Court of
Justice at The Hague to investigate whether Israel’s occupation
of Palestinian territories equates to “colonialism, apartheid
andethnic cleansing.” The report
maintains that Israeli policies in the West Bank are effectively
denying Palestinians’ right to self-determination by means of
“segregation.”

A document drawn up by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will be
presented to the council, urging Israel not only halt its
settlement expansion, but reverse it.

The Israeli government has condemned the movement to boycott
Israeli businesses because of the settlements. In a speech in
February, Benjamin Netanyahu branded the movement as a modern
manifestation of anti-Semitism.

"In the past anti-Semites boycotted Jewish businesses and
today they call for the boycott of the Jewish state, and by the
way, only the Jewish state," Netanyahu said. "I think
that it is important that the boycotters be exposed for what they
are, they are classical anti-Semites in modern garb,"
Netanyahu said.

He stated that the ultimate goal of the boycott movement was the
complete destruction of the Jewish state.

Negotiations for the peace process between the Israeli government
and the Palestinian Authority hit another stumbling block
recently after President Mahmoud Abbas refused to publically
recognize Israel as a Jewish state. The international community
has condemned Israeli settlements as illegal under international
law, but in spite of this Israel continues to announce plans to
expand its construction.